MOSCOW, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev said on Sunday he will not change the recognition of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia as independent states, pledging military and economic aid to the two
Georgian breakaway regions.
"The current task of Russia is the provision of peace
and tranquillity. We have made a decision, and this decision is irreversible,"
local media quoted him as saying on Moscow's recognition over the
self-proclaimed independence of the two Caucasus regions.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Unity and Revival
monument in Dushanbe August 29, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
"From the juridical point of view, new states have
emerged. The process of their recognition may take a rather long time, but our
position will be invariable," he said during interviews by local TV channels.
Medvedev signed decrees last Tuesday for the
recognition, following military conflicts with Georgia in South Ossetia which
broke out on Aug. 8 when Tbilisi sent in troops to reclaim control of the region
that was run by Russian and Georgian peacekeepers.
"The recognition of independent Abkhazia and South
Ossetia by other states "is a different question," Medvedev said at his
presidential residence in the Black Sea sort Sochi.
Russia's ties with the West were in strain due to the
situation in the Caucasus region, where Georgia is bidding for NATO membership
and Russia is against that.
"In general we do not advocate sanctions and apply
them only in exceptional cases ... If need be we can pass such laws (that allows
sanctions)," said Medvedev on the eve of a European Union summit that was called
by the French EU presidency in a bid to formulate a response to the
Georgia-Russia conflict.
TBILISI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on
Sunday his country had "no other choice" but to cut ties with Russia after
Moscow recognized the independence of two breakaway Georgian regions.
"This was a difficult decision, but Georgia had no other choice than that,"
Saakashvili was quoted by the Caucasus Press news agency as saying. Full story
ANKARA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili
warned Sunday that the Russia-Georgia conflict could spark a "domino effect,"
the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
The conflicts between Russia and Georgia could spread to Ukraine or other
countries, thus posing a serious threat (to regional security), said
Tkeshelashvili, who arrived in Istanbul on Sunday for a working visit. Full story
BELGRADE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The premiers of three European Union member
countries -- Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Latvia -- on Sunday called for
peace and stability in the Caucasus and the region's accession to the EU.
"We are united on the need to ensure peace, stability, territorial integrity
in Georgia and the broader region and to give the region a European
perspective," said Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa after talks with his
Czech and Latvian counterparts Mirek Topolanek and Ivars Godmanis at the
Slovenian lake-side resort of Bled. Full story
MOSCOW, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that his country acted "correctly, morally and in
accordance with international law" on the South Ossetia issue, local media
reported.
"The truth is on our side. We act absolutely
correctly, morally and in accordance with international law," Putin said in an
interview with Russia's Vesti-24 television. Full story
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George
W. Bush discussed by telephone with Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi on the
conflict between Russia and Georgia on Sunday, U.S. National Security Council
spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
"The leaders discussed the importance of supporting
Georgia's territorial integrity, and the need for Russia to comply with all
elements of the cease-fire agreement and withdraw its troops from Georgia in
accordance with that agreement," Johndroe said in a statement. Full story
